Cross Roads
by PrincessIxi
Summary: They have to deal with it. The both of them. They both walk the same path, yet not the same road. BubbleRipplekit past


**Name: **Cross Roads

**Genre: **Tragedy/ Angst/Spiritual/ Action

**Pairing/s:/**

**Description: **Part of the BubbleRipple Series. _Starlit Paths yet Trodden_, _Once upon a Long Ago_, and _Demon Inside_ are related stories. Neither has to be read first to understand what's going on

* * *

Hard panting. Endless rain. Ground reducing to muddy sludge.

"Almost.. there," the fluffy black and white tom mewed encouragement. With a grunt, the grey she-cat wrestled her way free of some thorns. She blinked uneasily up, narrowing her crystal blessed eyes.

"The rain.. it is relentless," she sighed, scrabbling up the next barrier blocking her way. The tom cat brushed his pelt warmly beside her. With a lurch, the she-cat stumbled, and slipped back down the muddy bank with a sickly squish. She yowled in sudden pain, making the tom cat's thick pelt stand on end.

"Autumnwind, Autumnwind!" he yowled, leaping back down to meet her. She writhed like an invisible enemy had sunk its claws into her hind and wasn't letting go.

"Stomach," she growled, kneading the ground.

"Lie still, and wait for it to pass," he meowed gently, beginning to lick between her flat ears. Painfully, her breathing evened back out, and she shook less.

"Alright, let's go," she said softly, standing back up. At once she doubled back, screeching. "Please, kits," she panted, taking huge gulps of rain filled air. "Be still, so I can get you home."

"Let me carry you," the tom yowled over the beating rain, pelt slicked fast to his skin.

"Don't.. be silly. I'd crush you," she struggled to purr light heartedly, giving his side a flick. It was true. Her swollen belly made her twice as large as the already petit medicine cat. She got back up, determination flashing in her eyes. Teeth set firm, she hauled her way up the slope, trying to ignore the white hot pains in her belly.

At the top, she collapsed in a gasping heap. Her kits were pressing hard, wanting to come out.

"Autumnwind, you must try to stand, we're so close," the tom pleaded, watching the fading shecat. She shook her head wordlessly. After a heart beat, she made to stand. Her front paws heaved, making her bedraggled frame shake uncontrollably. She slapped back down to earth; bits of mud hitting her nose. Nosing his way over, the tom pushed at her side. She lay motionless.

The medicine cat glanced around worriedly; knowing that the woods were a very dangerous place for lost ShadowClan cats to be. Especially with a weak queen, almost ready to have her kits.

Almost if the shadows had heard him, two figures appeared from the gloom. Lean and skinny, two foxes started to slink towards the weakened pair. One licked its ugly muzzle hungrily, beady eyes trained on the ill queen. The tom fluffed out his pelt, rain running into his emerald eyes. He spat as one came closer.

With a yap, the foxes lunged. One caught the tom round the shoulder, sending him crashing into a bramble bush. The second was on the shecat in the flash. With a yowl, the tom flung itself at the advancing fox, eyes darting towards his fallen Clan mate. She was up, eyes twisted in unbearable pain as she stood her ground.

The fox, obviously seeing at this cat wasn't about to bend, fleed with a yelp. Satisfied, he quickly looked over his shoulder. With a blink of shock, the second fox snapped at the shecat, landing a sharp blow to her face. She wailed with terror and pain, and fell to the side, to worn out to do any more.

With a snarl, the fox latched itself onto her belly, and started to tear at it. Wails of agony, hate, terror washed over the tom. He jolted from his trance, just in time to see the cats belly split open.

"**DON'T YOU TOUCH HER**!"

With a snarl of pure rage, the tom threw himself ontop of the fox. Yelping with shock, the fox stumbled away. Fury was mounting as the tom drew back unsheathed claws, and aimed a powerful blow at the foxes face. Blood laced the air and the fox backed away. No. The tom wouldn't let it get away.

Long forgotten memories swelled up inside the tom, flickering over his minds eye. Bite, claw, slash, blood, bite, kill. Kill. With a shriek, the tom flew at the fox, twisted in mid air and clamped his small jaws around the foxes warm throat. A fast thumping heart beat filled up the tom's vision. He could feel the blood spinning around the large arteries, and the hard thump of its heart. With a snarl, he jerked his head to the right, and pulled with all his strength. Hot sticky blood attacked the tom's face, creating steam as it struck the cold night air. Still pulling, the tom felt the jugular come free in his jaws. With a last gurgle, the fox slumped to the side, a steady pool of acrid blood spreading onto the damp forest floor.

Panting hard, the tom dropped the bloody organ, and took a step back, enjoy the moment of pure ecstasy. He tilted his head back, eyes closed, the rain brushing his muzzle, making the blood stains run away. Yes. He had missed this feeling.

A small mewl stopped his wild fantasies. Whipping around, his eyes flooded back with life. The queen was on her side; a gaping wound freely cut into her belly.

"My kits.. my kits," she chanted under her breath, her sides heaving up and down unevenly. The tom darted to her side, all thoughts forgotten, but on his main target. "Chainedsoul.. please.. what ever you do. Do not let my kits die."

* * *

"How.. how is she?"

Chainedsoul shook his head, letting his paws brush through his matted fur. "Honestly? I'm not sure. The kits, healthy and survived by some StarClan miracle… however," he trailed off, as the black tom cat's eyes darkened.

Raindancer lowered her jade eyes, glancing at the silently seething Nightwing. "However what?" he snapped, stepping forward.

"The fox.. it's done something to her stomach. I've rapped it up with cobwebs and water reeds in hope to close up the wound. But I think she might be bleeding on the inside," Chainedsoul meet his challenging amber gaze. The medicine cat sighed wearily. "I've failed. I'm so mousebrained."

"Don't say that," Raindancer meowed soothingly. "Autumnwind wanted to see the Mothermouth. You know how she gets."

"I feel that she wanted to see it because she knew it would be her last time," Chainedsoul looked at them both gravely.

"Mousebrain," Nightwing spat. "What's that supposed to mean? If she'd just staid put, then nothing would have happened!"

"Chainedsoul, Chainedsoul!" a small tabby tom cat darted out of the medicine cat's den. He bumped into the agitated Nightwing. He squeaked in terror, and backed away as the black tom bristled.

"Nightwing, don't, you'll scare him," Raindancer purred.

"Cloverpaw, what's wrong?" Chainedsoul asked, twitching his whiskers.

"Autumnwind just came to, come see!" Cloverpaw mewed, wagging his tail excitedly. Following the small apprentice, Chainedsoul brushed aside the low hanging ivy and entered the den. Both Nightwing and Raindancer followed.

"My kits, where are they?" Came a tired mew. Chainedsoul smiled, brushing his tail along the ground as he sat.

"Don't worry. They're in the nursery, keeping warm," he said softly.

"Ca-can I-"

"No, not yet. You were badly hurt," Chainedsoul interrupted her. Autumnwind's light gaze darted to her mate's, Nightwing. His eyes filled with concern. Taking the hint, Chainedsoul turned to the others. "Please leave us along for a moment. I'll call you as soon as I'm done."

With a nodded, the three trotted from the den with little complaint.

"Thankyou," the grey shecat sighed, letting her head fall to the ground. "I need to tell you something. Something I haven't even told Aspenstar," she mewed hardly above a whisper. "I went to the Mothermouth to speak with StarClan, because… because I have an illness."

Chainedsoul ears pricked.

"You can't see it, nor smell it. I only found out about it little over two moons ago. The sickness grows inside you, and eats away until your nothing more. I found out when I started coughing, and coughed up blood. I started to get pains in my stomach, and got violently sick some days," she kept her voice flat. "I asked StarClan if there was a way to get rid of this sickness. They said there was none. They said that my time on earth is short, so I must make the most out of it while I can still breathe. I want to watch my kits grow up," he eyes held Chainedsouls. "I only ask you this. Help me survive until I can't hold my head up any longer."

Chainedsoul dipped his head gravely. "Autumnwind," he said quietly, eyes dim. "It makes me feel helpless, knowing I can't fight something," he shook his head. "The fox wound is only skin deep, it will heal. When you.." his voice wavered for a split second. "When you die, I can put the blame on the wound. If I spoke of your illness, it would worry the others."

"You are making the right choice," she smiled, then curled up to get a few hours sleep.

* * *

The course brush rustled, as the ginger splotched Aspenstar nosed her way into the warm nursery. "How are the kits?" she murmured, dipping her head to sniff at the few day old kits. Beeflight sighed, sweeping her sandy tail to scoop up the mewling kits.

"They haven't given me a moments peace," she confessed, starting to lick at the silver head of the male kit. "I hope that Autumnwind will come back soon."

Aspenstar shuffled her paws. "Her injuries may have effected her milking, I'm not sure if she can care for her kits."

Beeflight looked at the ground.

"What was that?"

Both cats jumped in surprise, as Autumnwind herself stiffly walked into the nursery. "Effected what now?" she snapped at them.

"Autumnwind, I'm glad your-"

"Of course I'm fine," she growled, flashing her teeth at Aspenstar. "Thankyou, Beeflight, but I can look after them now," she added with a nod. Aspenstar looked taken aback by the normally good-natured queen. Deciding to let it slide, she stood up to take her leave.

"I'll come back when your settled," she meowed over her shoulder. Beeflight glanced nervously at Autumnwind as she bent to groom her kits.

"Autumnwind, I'd never seen such a-"

Again there was an interruption. There was a loud screech from across the camp clearing. "Autumnwind!" A second later, Chainedsoul appeared, looking flushed and angry. "What in StarClan's name are you doing in here? Your wounds are hardly healed," he said, doing his best to keep his voice low.

"Chainedsoul, I want to be with my kits," she said dangerously, eyes flashing.

"I know," he gritted his teeth. "But, please."

"No," she said flatly, turning her head away.

Chainedsoul hung his head in defeat. "Just take it easy, for the both of us. I'll tell Cloverpaw to watch over you," he decided on, and left. Autumnwind smiled slightly, then put her head down on her paws, her two kits snuggling in.

"What will you call them?" Beeflight asked.

"Bubblekit, and Ripplekit."

* * *

"Grr, watch out DeathClan, you don't scare me!" A small silvery shecat growled, wiggling her hind quarters. A darker grey tom cat glared back at her, flicking his ears. The shecat pounced, clawing at her brother and they rolled over, right into a furry back. They squealed.

"Watch out," Flowerpelt snapped, cuffing them bother round the ears. "Can't you two stay still for a moment?"

"No," they both chorused, then scampered back over to their mother. "Did you see that, mum?" Bubblekit asked, eyes glittering.

"I saw, very good," Autumnwind purred, flicking her tail over them both. She sighed tiredly.

"Are you okay?" Ripplekit asked.

"Just tired," she mewed quietly, closing her eyes. "Go play outside for a while, let us elders sleep in peace," she laughed. With mews of delight, the siblings ran outside.

"Bubblekit! Ripplekit, over here!" a loud meow called. Pricking her ears, Bubblekit padded over to a group of kits. The white Glowkit, tabby Thistlekit and tawny Robinkit were peering out from a pile of leaves. "Play with us," Glowkit grinned, pouncing on Robinkit's slender tail.

With a nod, they both ran into the leaves, letting them fly up and around them. Bubblekit laughed with glee, standing on her hind legs to paw the leaves. Thistlekit bowled into her with a 'mrow'. "Get off, you big lump," she growled, trying to shove off the bigger tom.

Shaking his head, Thistlekit gently chewed on her ear. Shrieking, Bubblekit tried to dislodge him by kicking her hind legs. There was sudden weight, as Robinkit jumped on top of Thistlekit.

"Careful you two," Glowkit called from somewhere in the leaves. "She's only little."

"Am not!" Bubblekit growled. She was little over half a moon old for StarClan sake!

"Yes you are," Thistlekit purred with playful amusement. "I'm nearly five moons old," he boasted.

"Big headesness won't make you a Warrior," Ripplekit pointed out, rolling around on his sleek back. Glowkit pounced on his fluffy stomach, making him yelp.

"Well what should we play?" Asked Robinkit, crawling off of her brother.

"Let's play fight then," Thistlekit meowed, a wicked gleam in his amber eyes. "Glowkit, you against me first."

The snowy shecat faced off, looking calmly at her older brother. The other lunged at her, claws sheathed. Glowkit took the blow, and rolled backwards, clinging onto her brother's neck. Confused, Thistlekit waved his head from side to side, trying to get Glowkit off. With her small size, she was able to fit snugly under Thistlekit's throat, avoiding his paws.

Finding her feet, Glowkit pushed up, flinging Thistlekit to the ground.

"Wow! Go Glowkit!" Bubblekit cheered loudly, jumping on the spot.

Growling at the attention his sister was getting; Thistlekit took a swipe at her paw, making her trip. All the kits booed at the dirty play. Thistlekit licked his ruffled up fur, and shot a glare at them.

"What? Warriors can fight any way they want," he huffed.

"That's true," a voice mewed, making them turn. Raindancer padded lightly up. "Glowkit, welldone. Using your smaller size to your advantage," she congratulated. "You too, Thistlekit. It might look unfair, but Warriors have to fight for their lives sometimes. You might even have to kick up dirt in your opponents eyes," the Shadowclan Warrior nodded. "Although we try not to fight to dirty, Warriors are better than that," she smiled.

"Raindancer, will you be my mentor?" Glowkit asked shyly.

"Nu-uh, I want her," Thistlekit pushed passed. Raindancer laughed lightly.

"Aspenstar will decide that," she mewed. "What about you two?" she looked at Bubblekit and Ripplekit.

"We're not old enough," Bubblekit said to the ground, shuffling a paw.

"No. I meant can you fight?" she asked.

"You bet!" Bubblekit said enthusiastically. Raindancer nodded, in indication to attack. Bubblekit's paws burst with excitement. A Warrior letting her practise against her! She could feel Thistlekit bursting with envy.

She rushed right at Raindancer. With a quick movement, the shecat easily side stepped the attack. Bubblekit skidded to a stop.

"Nice, but predictable," Raindancer purred gently as Bubblekit sulked. "Don't feel to bad. You're not trained. This time, try to come at me where I won't expect," she suggested, bending back down.

Nodding, Bubblekit copied the stance. Her eyes darted to the right of Raindancer. She tensed. Yes. Bubblekit would run underneath the bigger she cat, but pretend she would aim for the right.

With a whoop, she ran again. Raindancer made to move, but mewed in shock when Bubblekit darted not to the right, but under her belly. Bubblekit tried to push up to unbalance her, but found she really was to weak for the larger cat. She crawled sheepishly back out.

"That was great!" Glowkit said.

"Indeed," Ripplekit smiled brightly.

"Yes," Raindancer licked a paw. "That was clever, you tricked me, right?"

Bubblekit nodded silently. The Warrior nodded, then padded away. Autumnwind watched from the nursery, a smile playing on her muzzle.

* * *

"Aw, geez."

The two moon Ripplekit sighed, flopping his head uselessly down on his white tipped paws. Bubblekit copied him. Today it was raining. The clearing was muddy, and swamp like. A few cats darted out to eat breakfast, then hurry back into their dens.

The deputy, Crescentmoon yowled to the warriors to gather around. About four grumbling warriors flashed out, pelting for the shelter of the thicker pine trees.

"Why do we need to send out a patrol today?" Ripplekit whined. "I doubt ThunderClan will be out in this weather."

"We can't be to careful. It's a perfect time to attack," Autumnwind purred, flicking her ears as rain droplets landed on her fur. They both sighed in unison.

"Good morning!" A some how bright and cheerful, Cloverpaw pushed his way through the ivy. "Nice weather today, huh?"

"I hope your kidding," Bubblekit growled, legs sprawled out under her belly.

"Oh no," Clovepaw's emerald eyes widened. "Haven't you heard? I thought your mother would have told you," he gasped.

"What, what?!" they both jumped to their paws, missing the chuckles coming from Autumnwind. Cloverpaw's eyes closed in anguish.

"No. Nevermind. It's to terrible," he sighed dramatically, turning to leave. Bubblekit pounced on his tail, trying to drag the apprentice backwards.

"Tell us! What's so terrible?" Ripplekit asked, eyes doubling in size.

"Well," he bent his head, whispering. "I heard that on rainy days, the nursery is always attack by marsh monsters!"

The siblings gasped as one, blue eyes as large as plates. "Do you know the story?" They both shook their heads. "Well. Apparently, one raining morning, just like this one, a queen had three kits. She went out for some fresh kill. And when she came back, they were nowhere to be found. Distraught, she ran out the back of the den, and fell into the marsh that was near. Her spirit drowned, but her body lives on, desperate to find her three lost kits."

Cloverpaw trailed off into a hiss. Both kits' were trembling with fear and exhilaration. "Do you know what this means, Ripplekit?" Bubblekit asked, tail twitching. "We have to protect the nursery!"

"Uh, Bubblekit, I think it's just a bed time st-"

There was a sudden groan from outside the den, and the leaves shook. Both kits shrieked in alarm. "It's the marsh monster!" Bubblekit wailed, eyes alight with fire.

"Quick, kits, to your battle stations!" Cloverpaw meowed hastily, pushing them towards the exit.

The groaning stopped, and everything was quiet apart from their breathing, and the rain. Then the thing appeared. Shaggy and black, it appeared quite suddenly, and was soon pouncing on the squealing kits.

Bubblekit worked her paws, trying to throw the thing off. Ripplekit was buried under leaves and mud that it was tracking in. Bubblekit stopped fighting, realising that somebody was laughing. In fact. Everyone seemed to be laughing.

"What's so funny?" She snapped indignantly, worming her way out of the marsh monster's grasp. Ripplekit finally recognised the scent.

"Chainedsoul? Is that you under all those leaves?" he asked, wrinkling his nose. Chainedsoul laughed, shaking off the rest of the undergrowth.

"Yes. I helped Cloverpaw pull it off," he confessed, scratching his pelt. Cloverpaw was giggling in delight.

"That was great, you should have seen you both."

The siblings wiggled in embarrassment. "Well..you tricked us! That wasn't very nice," Ripplekit tried to point out. Autumnwind was laughing quietly, face alight with happiness.

* * *

After all the rain, both kits gleefully raced around the clearing. Nighwing scolded them as they disturbed everybody's nap, but they paid no heed to their bossy father. Afternoon was the best time to play. Everything smelt clean, and fresh. The sky was soon be playing a melody of oranges and reds.

Bubblekit paused in her run, and slowed to a trot, drinking in the early night air.

"What 'cha thinkin' about?" Ripplekit asked, rolling on to his back, paws seeming to touch the sky.

"I dunno," she smiled, then sat up suddenly. She hushed her brother. She couldn't believe her eyes. A small bird was peeking on the ground! Was luck! It was so close to camp to. Maybe it was just mousebrained. She went into a low crawl, trying to keep her tail down like Cloverpaw had told her so many times. What else did he say?

_Remember to step quickly, and light. Birds are fast, and can hear you_

With a running hop, she pounced. In the nick of time, the bird spiralled up. She hummed in defeat. Nevermind. "Let's tell mum!" Ripplekit squealed, excited for his sister.

"Yeah!"

Both kits ran to the nursery, paws on fire with new emotions. "Mum! Mum!" Bubblekit yowled loudly, skidding to a stop at the exit. Nobody answered. Looking at each other with confused eyes, they pushed aside the ivy. "Mum?"

Bubblekit felt the ground beneath her paws slide away. There was her mum. On the ground. Not in a usual sleeping position. But like she had been picked up and dropped. She wasn't moving.

"Mum! _MUM_!" She screamed, ears deaf to anything else and she race to her side, sniffing her body. No. No! This couldn't be happening. Not her mum. She was the most beautiful soul in the world. And she was powerless to stop this from happening!

"She's breathing. She's breathing," she distantly heard her brother gasp.

"What's wrong?" Beeflight's voice.

"Get Chainedsoul!** NOW**!" Screeched Ripplekit. Bubblekit backed away, ears down. She'd never heard her big brother sound so angry in her life. It was frightening her. With a small sob of disappear, she felt Ripplekit bend down. "Mum.. mum. Please be okay.. can you hear me?.. please don't go. We're not ready to be on our own."

* * *

Blackness.

The sky was grieving as well. Ripplekit stared at the ground, hardly noticing as pelts brushed his side in soothing gestures. "Ripplekit?" Somebody's soft voice asked. He looked up, eyes oddly blank. It was Raindancer. "Your mum's body will be moved soon, won't you say goodbye?"

He mumbled something, too hard to catch. Raindancer asked again. "I said no. I won't forgive her," he growled. Raindancer's mottled ears flicked backwards in alarm.

"Ripplekit.." he trailed off uselessly. "How can you say that? She won't find peace of mind knowing that her son feels that way."

"But.. _why_?" he cried. "Why did she have to go.." his head flopped back to earth. "It's not fair."

"I know," she said quietly, sitting beside him, and wrapping her tail around his trembling body. "I know."

* * *

A single fly buzzed in a hot air. It landed on Bubblekit's nose. She didn't even try to swat it away. Her pelt was dull and faded; the once happy light in her eyes was gone. All that had been sucked out of her. Replaced by darkness.

"Bubblekit?" she heard her brother mewed tentatively. "Won't you eat something?" he asked desperately, pushing a small mouse her way. For days the little silvery she cat had refused to eat. Sick with worry, Ripplekit also went off his food, to distraught that he might start loosing his sister too.

Bubblekit just blinked at him, like he was a two headed fox, asking to be a warrior.

"How is she?" Chainedsoul appeared in the den entrance. He sighed when he saw the untouched mouse. "Ripplekit, please eat it."

"I can't," he stubbornly shook his head. "If she won't eat, then neither will I. I can't rest until she gets well again."

Chainedsoul couldn't stay mad at the kits. He watched them through sad eyes, wishing that he had the power to heal over their unseen wounds. Were they even able to heal? Was this a test from StarClan? If so, Chainedsoul eyes darkened at the thought, then StarClan really was as heartless as he'd thought.

* * *

_I want to go see her. Just one more time. I want to see her. Just once. To see her face. To see her whiskers pull up when she smiles. The way her eyes used to light up when ever we pounced on Cloverpaw, or managed to perform a move only apprentices can master. I want to see her. One more time. Please

* * *

_Ripplekit thought his mouth would be watering as he looked at the sparrow in front of him. Yet all his stomach and mouth did were twist up, knotting itself into a hard ball. He felt sick just looking at it. 

"Ripplekit, please come here," Chainedsoul meowed over to him. Padding over, he looked up at him curiously. "Bubblekit's gone into a coma," he said quietly. He was expecting the kit to yowl, scream, do anything at the news, yet was unnerved as he nodded calmly, like he had known all along. "Her body.. it's shutting down. She won't take my medicine. Won't eat. At this rate, she's going to starve herself," he concluded morbidly.

"I see," Ripplekit murmured. "I'll sleep next to her, tonight. If I can't reach her through my dreams… I don't know what I'll do," he mewed sadly. Chainedsoul's eyes clouded over with pain. He was breaking. How could he have let this happen? Autumnwind didn't want her kits to grieve after her passing.

_Autumnwind _He raised his muzzle to the sky, the wind ruffling his long pelt. _Can you hear me? Tell me what to do. I'm so lost

* * *

_

Ripplekit padded quietly over rocks and bramble. Was this what was beyond the camp? A heavy miss shrouded the forest of pins, casting eerie ghost shadows.

"BUBBLEKIT!" He yowled, until his voice grew raw. Something flickered in the pine forest. Narrowing his azure eyes, he saw a white bird flutter out of the forest. But he didn't recognise the breed of bird. It was small like a finch. With a small head and a breast that jutted out. It was snow white. It flapped up towards the grey sky.

_Where there is light, there is hope_

Ripplekit closed his eyes, feeling his subconscious drifting. He opened them again. He was in a circular clearing, trees he wasn't familiar with towered above him. Craning his neck, he looked up towards the sky. It was clear, and he could almost count how many stars there where, they were so close.

A small body was lying in the middle of the clearing. Bubblekit!

He ran over, paws sparkling with star dust that was dusted on the ground. "Bubblekit, can you here me?" he asked, leaning down to her ear.

"She can no longer hear you," a meow sounded behind him. Whipping around, Ripplekit faced a tom cat, frost sparkling along his paws and pelt.

"Wh-what do you mean?" he asked. "She's not d-"

"No. Not yet anyway," he replied, lifting his broad head to stare at the sky. "But she is lost."

"Then I'll bring her back!" he snarled. The tom glanced at him, a small smile flickering over his muzzle.

"You have a fine heart, young one. Very well, find your beloved sister," his meow faded, along with the clearing. He was back in the misty forest. Slowly, he padded down a gravel path. Ripplekit felt a very deep presence inside the forest, making him stay on the footpath.

It was quiet; the only sound was his breathing, which puffed out in smokes. The forest wasn't natural. There should have been sounds, even a dog howl would be nice.

Finally, he spotted her. Bubblekit was padded down another path, parallel to his own. He raced ahead, trying to walk beside her. "Bubblekit!" he roared, catching up. She ignored him. A few shrubs and bushes blocked him from walking next to her. "Bubble?" he asked nervously, scared at her lack of voice.

They were walking down the same path, yet were still not travelling the same road. How long would it take for them to cross paths again?

"Bubblekit," he mewed, tripping over his words. "We have to get out of here! Don't you feel it, it's so strong, it feels like my pelt is going to burst!"

Still she didn't look at him. Getting _really_ frightened, he darted ahead, and looked at her face. He gasped in horror. Her eyes. Her eyes were missing! Two hollow caves stared back at him. He wanted to wake up!

_No_

A strong voice entered his head, making him look at her face. It's not real, he told himself. Bubblekit's eyes are fine. "Bubble, listen to me," he said soothingly. "It's me, Ripplekit. I've come to take you home. Where your going… you won't find any peace. You must come back with me," he said, voice growing stronger. Bubblekit's ears flickered slightly. "I know… it's really, _really_ hard. Scary and painful. Mum just left us, were on our own now," he said quietly. "No," he shook his head, lifting his eyes. "Were not alone. Our Clan looks after us now. Everyone is trying so hard!" He cried. "So hard, but we're making it so difficult! The both of us, we both need to come back!!"

Tears slowly trickled out of Bubblekit's hollowed out eyes. "I miss her so much," she sobbed, just above a whisper. The bushes that had made a barrier between them started to thin out. "So.. so much."

"I know." Ripplekit mewed. "So do I. But I'm your big brother," he chuckled. "So I guess I need to look after you better, huh?"

A blue glow entered Bubblekit's eyes, and she looked back at him for real, eyes over bright.

"Oh, I've been so mouse brained!" She sobbed, rushing at him, and they both twinned their tails together, making sure they were real, they were still here. "So.. so," she wailed loudly, as she buried her nose into her brother's fur. "I just wanted to see mum again!! Is that so bad?!" she cried.

"It's not, it's not," Ripplekit assured her. "But this is the wrong way to go about it. You're killing your body, Bubble. Mum won't want that… she's in StarClan now. We can she her any time we want. When we close our eyes, she'll be there. As we grow up, and protect our Clan, she'll be watching over us all the time."

Bubblekit nodded wordlessly. "One more time," she whispered. "Only once."

The misty forest faded back into darkness, and both kits were back in their dens. Yet nobody was awake. _I'm here_ they both looked up, and broke out into mews of delight. The faint outline of Autumnwind padded swiftly down from the Medicine den's sky light.

"Mum! Mum. Oh mum, I've missed you," Bubblekit said, eyes closed with happiness as they pressed themselves into her side.

_So have I. I wished I could have staid on this earth for longer. But StarClan decided it was my time _she meowed faintly.

"Don't go," Ripplekit pleaded, as it got harder to hear and see her.

_I must _she said sadly, dipping her head. _But this is for you both. To remind yourselves I've never really left _she blew a ghost breath over Ripplekit's face. Slowly, Ripplekit's left eye began to change into a soft hazel colour. _That eye will let you see things that aren't always there. And for you, my daughter _she turned to Bubblekit, and blew on her muzzle. _I give you the gift of story telling. So StarClan's legends will never be lost _

With one last blink, Autumnwind faded. A gust of spring air blew into the hollow den.

A loud clatter brought the kits around. Chainedsoul was puffing in the entrance, herbs tangling from his mouth. "I thought!" He spat them out in a rush. "You two just stopped breathing! I went out to get something, then- what? What happened? Are you okay? Is everything still working?" he gushed.

Bubblekit blinked lazily from her mossy bed. "Yeah… yeah," she said slowly, voice horse. "But. Man. I'm really hungry! Can you get me something to eat?"

Chainedsoul looked taken aback. "Are you alright?" he asked again, slowly.

Both siblings looked at each other. A small smile passed between them. Yes. Things were going to be okay.

* * *

**END**


End file.
